Sushi Hana

For my first restaurant review, I thought I would start small.  I went to lunch at this popular “sushi train” style restaurant last week.  It is unassuming, sitting in a strip mall next to a Petco.  This area is always busy, so parking can be a bit of a bear, as can getting in and out as it sits right on Hwy 99W. 

 

Upon entering, we were greeted by friendly staff that explained that there was a bit of a wait, and that we needed to put our names on a list.  There were three of us, so we had to wait about 10 minutes before we got a spot along the train counter. 

Once seated, the staff was quite attentive, getting us drinks and place settings almost immediately; they also kept our drinks filled and came back frequently, but without being overbearing. 

The food, however, was not as good as the service.  I had several different rolls and sashimi plates, but despite the attractive preparation, many fell short of my expectations.  Generally the rolls were flavorful and unique, especially the asparagus & cream cheese and the tempura crab rolls (despite it being artificial crab meat).  Their forays into the unique did not always work well: the strawberry/mango/sweet rice roll was tart, and the fruit under ripe.  The sashimi was moderate sized portions, but the salmon lacked flavor and would have done better to have a touch of wasabi on the rice.  Worst of all, anything that was seared was done with a propane torch.  Upon tasting the fish, the gas permeated into the flavor that was less than pleasant.  I must say though that the calamari ($1.75) is some of the best that I’ve tasted in the city – it is tender, lightly battered, and bursting with flavor.

The prices were right, with the majority of the plates being around $2, and I was able to keep my lunch below $15 with a drink.  I was impressed by the selection, and they were quick to make any special requests for customers.  For a quick, well priced sushi lunch, this is a good choice if you are in the area.

11705 SW Pacific Hwy Portland, OR 77223